Best CB Antenna

[mlewis73]

I have a Galaxy DX-95T CB and have been using a FireStik antenna for a couple years on my '91 F-350.



My '06 Ram 3500 is due for delivery soon, and I want to go with a better antenna.



Can anyone suggest a VERY, VERY good antenna that'll reach out and touch someone?



I prefer to NOT drill holes in the truck to mount the thing. I am guessing a roof-mount, magnetic base is what I want. I would like an antenna that can be affixed to different bases so that I can bolt it to a headache rack someday... if possible.



Thanks for any suggestions.





Mike

 

[JWChessell]

I have had VERY GOOD performance from FireStick antennas -- in one case 32 miles antenna-to-antenna with only 4-watts of power. But, there are many good antennas out there; I'd try a HAM shop first, rather than a CB shop. Re a mag-mount antenna -- I tried several with dismal results. The mag-mounts were OK; the problem was with the Dodge roof sheet metal. The roof sheet metal on my '03 QC is very thin. Wind-resistance of a 3' CB antenna on a 5" magnetic base caused the roof sheet-metal to ripple, like an ocean wave. As soon as that happened, the magnetic bond was broken, and the antenna fell off over the side of the truck. After this happened approx four-to-seven times, I gave up and removed the mag antenna. NEVER had a problem with my '81 Chev crew-cab. Re my '03 Dodge, I'm planning to mount both a CB antenna and a HAM antenna on the roof-rack cross-bars that are mounted on the top of my Leer shell, and ground the mounts to the frame with an independent ground wire. HAM call sign: KC6TMR.

 

[Reb.B]

wilson 5000

 

[Got Smoke?]

wilson 5000

Yeah... ... what he said! I swear by 'em!

 

[Nate]

I have a Wilson 1000 on my truck and I've been happy. I ran a 'lil Wil on an S-10 Blazer when I was in high school and it worked great as well. I switched to that Wilson antenna after I burnted out 3 K30 antennas and the guy at Radio Shack was getting tired of having to replace them (warrantied)

 

[mlewis73]

Thank you guys for your suggestions. Sounds like the sheet metal is pathetic--my '91 Ford never had any trouble with that!!



Where can I mount the antenna, in lieu of a mag mount to the top of the cab? I am concerned about getting high enough over the top of the truck... the FireStiks I have can mount into the stake pockets (looked really good on my '91 Ford) but that doesn't give much clearance over the top of the cab/trailer.



Mike

 

[KennethS]

I have a K40 on my truck and motor home?

Down at the CB shop that what they said was the best. It works very good and I can take it off very easy by just a turn and put it in the truck when I put it in the garage. When I travel I liston to the CB for what going on out there. I don't talk on it much at all.

 

[KennethS]

I have it mounted on the edge of the hood. No holes and does not mark the hood at all.

 

[BigPapa]

I like my FireStik. It's served me well. I'm consistently talking 15-25 miles with a barefoot Cobra 29 LTD. Mount was simple and clean. Quick turn of a couple of wrenches and it's off.



Scott

 

[GFrance]

My twin firesticks work real well, even when pulling my 5vr.



https://www.turbodieselregister.com/user_gallery/displayimage.php?&photoid=20585&width=0

 

[idahogn]

The antenna system is 90% of your battle with a cb setup... you can have a 2 dollar radio and a 100 dollar antenna and out talk a 1000 dollar radio and a 5 dollar antenna. I own a cb shop and run a Wilson 1000 mag mount on my personal vehicle 03 ctd dually and have never had a problem with it coming off at 100+mph ... there is none better... if you want a permanent mout antenna buy a wilson silver load... or tunable fire stick but make sure the majority of the load (thats the wire under the plastic) is tword the top and above the vehicle. Also use good coax with hand soldered pl-259 connectors. One thing that a mount like big papa has is that you have no ground plane... that’s crap as far as a cb antenna is concerned... its convenient but that is it. The better the ground plane the better the antenna works... . period! Also don’t ever trust a built in swr meter or antenna warning light. I can make them do magical things with a couple of adjustment inside the radio but there will be no change in performance. So have a shop tune your swr's once you get the antenna mounted under 1. 5:1 across al 40 channels would be optimal but sometimes not achievable because of mounting. You can also get you radio tuned up by a shop to help you get out. This is where some get ripped off in the cb world. Most shops out there are fly by night hacks. In it for a quick buck... get a shop with the proper test equipment to work on the radio get them to tune the receive as well as the transmit... you need to hear after all... also stay away from twin antennas or co phased antennas as they are sometimes called... more gimmick from the world of cb ... to make a set of twin antennas work properly you have to space the antennas a full wave length apart (that’s approx 36 ft apart on cb frequencies) good luck with that!!!!!! They look cool but a single will out talk them hands down.

 

[BigPapa]

One thing that a mount like big papa has is that you have no ground plane... that’s crap as far as a cb antenna is concerned... its convenient but that is it.

Crap or not, it works for me and I'm all .



Scott

 

[Jeremiah]

Quick question, Idahogn ... where'd you run the coax, through the rear slider? And if so, does the window stay open and let rain in?

 

[CFulton]

K-40 Has did me sterling service. Can get fixed or magnetic mount and can quick disconnect without any loss of range etc. It "reaches"!

 

[Nate]

Sounds like you have quite the setup/knowledge base. Willing to help me out on my setup? What would it cost if i brought my truck by for you to check the SWR and tune the radio??



Nate

The antenna system is 90% of your battle with a cb setup... you can have a 2 dollar radio and a 100 dollar antenna and out talk a 1000 dollar radio and a 5 dollar antenna. I own a cb shop and run a Wilson 1000 mag mount on my personal vehicle 03 ctd dually and have never had a problem with it coming off at 100+mph ... there is none better... if you want a permanent mout antenna buy a wilson silver load... or tunable fire stick but make sure the majority of the load (thats the wire under the plastic) is tword the top and above the vehicle. Also use good coax with hand soldered pl-259 connectors. One thing that a mount like big papa has is that you have no ground plane... that’s crap as far as a cb antenna is concerned... its convenient but that is it. The better the ground plane the better the antenna works... . period! Also don’t ever trust a built in swr meter or antenna warning light. I can make them do magical things with a couple of adjustment inside the radio but there will be no change in performance. So have a shop tune your swr's once you get the antenna mounted under 1. 5:1 across al 40 channels would be optimal but sometimes not achievable because of mounting. You can also get you radio tuned up by a shop to help you get out. This is where some get ripped off in the cb world. Most shops out there are fly by night hacks. In it for a quick buck... get a shop with the proper test equipment to work on the radio get them to tune the receive as well as the transmit... you need to hear after all... also stay away from twin antennas or co phased antennas as they are sometimes called... more gimmick from the world of cb ... to make a set of twin antennas work properly you have to space the antennas a full wave length apart (that’s approx 36 ft apart on cb frequencies) good luck with that!!!!!! They look cool but a single will out talk them hands down.

 

[Jeremiah]

Idahogn, you didn't say what brand CB you're running in your '03. Mind sharing that info?

 

[Jrissler]

I have Uniden 76 and sometimes when I have the echo just right the antena light comes on a lil, Is that all bad???

I run a lil Will.



I want to get a wilson 5000 sometime.



Is a magnet mount better or worse than a bolt mount?

 

[Got Smoke?]

Is a magnet mount better or worse than a bolt mount?

Mag mount is MUCH! better.

 

[Jrissler]

Mag mount is MUCH! better.

Well I can't beleive that. Good.



Another ??? Is a cb to be grounded?? I have it mounted in the truck on plastic should I run a ground wire to the truck?? Would it help any??

 

[bkroupa]

Wilson 1000 unless you plan on using major power. This was the recommendation I read the most for a base loaded SS whip, several test compared it to a K-40 & claimed it had better performance.

I bit the bullet & roof mounted mine, which is what most of the shops recommended. The Wilson comes with a weather cover that allows you to unscrew the base & put the cap on by hand if you need to enter a garage.

The height winds up being about the same as a full size SS whip. Mine gets out very well with my tweaked Uniden PC78Elite & SWR readings are very low.

Routing the cable is easy, remove the dome light & fish the coax to the left front pillar across the dash & under the console to the seat. Takes less than 30 minutes & no leaks.